Coca-Cola launches on-pack NaviLens QR codes for visually impaired consumers

06 Dec 2022 --- For the first time, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) GB’s Christmas can multipacks will include NaviLens codes on the cardboard casing to help shoppers that are partially sighted and have difficulty using traditional signage the opportunity to navigate their way around a shop to find their chosen purchases. 

Launched in GB, partially sighted shoppers can scan the codes on their mobile phone camera, and the product information is contextualized in the NaviLens app. They do not need to know precisely where the codes are placed, as the codes can be detected at wide angles and from distances of up to four meters and when unfocused. 

“People with sight loss should have the same access and choice as our sighted counterparts, but currently, important information on packaging can often be in very small print, making it difficult or impossible for us to read,” says Marc Powell, RNIB’s accessibility innovation lead. 

“Technology such as NaviLens is a game changer and allows blind and partially sighted people to access key information on packaging independently. This pilot with Coca-Cola highlights how big brands can put accessibility at the forefront of design and packaging decisions and be a real catalyst for change.”

NaviLens is a “game changer” and allows blind and partially sighted people to access key information on packaging independently, stresses Powell.Festive packs
Festive-themed sharing packs of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and for the first time, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry are rolling out from mid-November. The products  feature the iconic and eye-catching Sundblom Santa Claus to drive standout on the shelf.

Since November 21, shoppers can scan QR codes on-pack to win pre-loaded £200 (US$245) “Festive Feast” gift cards from Love2Shop – accepted by supermarkets, food aggregators, restaurant chains and more. With 1,000 gift cards up for grabs, shoppers can also win thousands of exclusive Coca-Cola and festive gifts.

The promotion will run across plain and price-marked large PET bottles (1.25 L, 1.75 L and 2 L)  and multipacks of cans containing 24 or 30 cans. Convenience retailers can request Point of Sales materials to bring Christmas to life in-store, encouraging shoppers to “make Christmas mealtimes magic,” while highlighting the on-pack promotion. 

Martin Attock, vice president commercial development at CCEP GB adds “Coca-Cola has been bringing people together at Christmas for more than 130 years, and this year is no different. We want to help shoppers focus on enjoying magical moments with friends and family by giving them a little something to put toward a special meal this Christmas.”

“We are proud to be working with NaviLens this year to make our packs and the Coca-Cola brand more inclusive so everyone can enjoy their favorite beverage. This technology is making a huge difference to as many as two million people in the UK who are currently visually impaired.”

In another development, Microsoft and Haleon launched a new feature to Microsoft’s Seeing AI app that reads health product labels aloud for people who are blind or have impaired vision. The app is currently available in the US and UK and compatible with over 1,500 consumer health products. 

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim 

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